AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION

1015 Fifteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005      (202) 789-5600

July 2, 1981

WILLIAM H. McBEATH, M.D., M.P.H., Executive Director

C. Everett Koop, MD
Deputy Assistant Secretary
  for Health
Department of Health and
  Human Services
Humphrey Building, Room 716G
200 Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, D.C.    20201

Dear Doctor Koop:

It was good to meet in your office this morning for an hour of
discussion together.  I certainly hope we work to keep open
such channels of communication.  Please put my number (789-5656)
on your phone list and call whenever you think I or APHA might
be of assistance.

It seems we have agreed to disagree on the issue of Surgeon
General qualifications.  APHA leadership feels strongly
that the post should be filled by "a clearly qualified, specially
trained, broadly experienced community health professional of
demonstrated expertise and recognized ability".  Of course, I
did not persuade you to our view, but I do hope you are convinced
that position is the true basis for our organizational opposition
to your confirmation.   I re-affirm that it is.

Certainly no recent Surgeon General or Assistant Secretary for
Health has completely agreed with APHA on all national health
policy issues, yet,  that has not precluded numerous occasions
of cooperative USPHS/APHA action in the interest of public health.
Because you may be expectably uncertain about our organization,
be assured that for as long as you continue in important policy
level health positions, APHA will be eager to work with you in
many areas of mutual interest and common objectives.

At a more personal level,  I thank you sincerely for the warm and
open way you have always related to me.  I pray our disagreement
will not be so disagreeable as to compromise our friendship
potential.

Executive Director'

encl.